Redskins Josh Morgan, the Forgotten Starter

Josh Morgan Fantasy 2013

Redskins wide receiver Josh Morgan enters the 2013 season with a yet another opportunity to make a name for himself and finally become fantasy relevant. Last season, his first with the team, Morgan managed to lead the team with 48 receptions, four shy of his career-high of 52, but it left fantasy owners wanting for more. Morgan has the skillset to be a productive option in the highflying Redskin offense, but needs to establish himself early if he expects to be a reliable fantasy option on a weekly basis. Injuries have and continue to play a major factor in the progression of the six-year veteran’s development.

In 2012, Morgan played through ligament damage in both hands and with seven screws in his ankle due to an injury sustained during the 2011 season. Morgan had the screws removed in January and had surgery on both hands to repair the ligament damage. The work done in the off-season, both on the operating table and in the weight room, was apparent during the off-season OTA’s and into the first few weeks of camp. Morgan looks sharper and is playing at a higher level than he did as the season wore on. The injuries last season began to become too much to overcome and this was apparent with Morgan managing just six receptions for 81 yards and a TD over the final three games of the season. Despite all of the injuries, Morgan still managed to appear in all 16 games. Heading into this season, Morgan has declared himself 100% healthy; however, it is worth noting that Morgan has been slowed with a minor hamstring injury during the early stages of training camp.

Josh Morgan’s Stats

Season

Team

G

Rec

Tgt

Yds

Avg

1stD

TD

2008

San Francisco

12

20

43

319

16

12

3

2009

San Francisco

16

52

81

527

10.1

20

3

2010

San Francisco

16

44

80

698

15.9

27

2

2011

San Francisco

5

15

20

220

14.7

12

1

2012

Washington

16

48

73

510

10.6

29

2

Career Totals

65

179

297

2274

12.7

100

11

Morgan, a D.C. native, signed with his hometown team, prior to the 2012 season, to the tune of a two-year deal worth up to $12 million, with $7.5 million guaranteed. Washington insiders are still lobbying for their hometown hero to become a difference maker in the Redskin offense. Morgan, who is viewed as the team’s number two option, has failed to live up to the hype thus far.

The Redskins return their top-five receivers from 2012, and get back pass-catching tight end Fred Davis who missed most of last season with and Achilles injury. The Redskins also added veteran receivers Devery Henderson and Donte Stallworth to round out the receiving corps.

Morgan is currently penciled in as the number two receiver and will line up opposite of Pierre Garcon. Receivers Leonard Hankerson and Santana Moss are nipping at his heels just waiting for their opportunity. Ineffectiveness and/or mounting injuries continue to be a concern for Morgan and he could find himself at the bottom of this crowded depth chart if he is not able to produce early and often.

The anticipation is that the Washington Redskins will feature one of the more dynamic offenses in the league. Of course, the rise and fall of the franchise rests on the health of the surgically repaired right knee of second-year quarterback Robert Griffin III. The team will go only as far as RGIII is able to carry them and by all accounts he should be able to return to game action in time for the Redskins week one tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Josh Morgan has the talent to be a viable fantasy option in deeper leagues. While Morgan may not set the world on fire fantasywise in 2013, he has the offense, quarterback and skillset to be a potential difference maker on game day. Morgan’s 2012 output will make him largely forgettable as your draft winds down, however, he could be a rising force in D.C. that could change the fantasy football landscape and this makes him a player worth monitoring as the season wears on.